Weymouth and Melcombe Regis | |
---|---|
Former borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
1570–1885 | |
Seats | four (1570–1832), two (1832–1885) |
Replaced by | South Dorset |
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis was a parliamentary borough in Dorset represented in the English House of Commons, later in that of Great Britain, and finally in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was formed by the Union of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis Act 1571 (13 Eliz. 1. c. 9) which amalgamated the existing boroughs of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. Until 1832, the combined borough continued to elect the four Members of Parliament (MPs) to which its constituent parts had previously been entitled; the Great Reform Act reduced its representation to two Members, and the constituency was abolished altogether in 1885, becoming part of the new South Dorset constituency.
![]() |
![]() |
Year | First member | First party | Second member | Second party | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1832 | Sir Frederick Johnstone | Tory [22] | Fowell Buxton | Whig [22] | ||
1834 | Conservative [22] | |||||
1835 | William Burdon | Whig [22] | ||||
1837 | Viscount Villiers | Conservative [22] | George William Hope | Conservative [22] | ||
1842 [25] | Ralph Bernal | Whig [22] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] | William Dougal Christie | Whig [31] [22] [30] | ||
August 1847 | William Freestun | Whig [31] | ||||
December 1847 | Hon. Frederick Child Villiers | Conservative | ||||
1852 | George Butt | Conservative | ||||
1857 | Robert Campbell | Whig [32] | ||||
1859 | Robert Brooks | Conservative | Viscount Grey de Wilton | Conservative | ||
1865 | Henry Gridley | Liberal | ||||
1867 | Henry Edwards | Liberal | ||||
1868 | Charles J. T. Hambro | Conservative | ||||
1874 | Sir Frederick Johnstone | Conservative | ||||
1885 | Constituency abolished |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Fowell Buxton | Unopposed | |||
Tory | John Gordon | Unopposed | |||
Tory | Masterton Ure | Unopposed | |||
Tory | Edward Sugden | Unopposed | |||
Whig hold | |||||
Tory hold | |||||
Tory hold | |||||
Tory hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Richard Weyland | 14 | 23.7 | ||
Tory | Masterton Ure | 13 | 22.0 | ||
Tory | John Gordon | 13 | 22.0 | ||
Whig | Fowell Buxton | 13 | 22.0 | ||
Tory | Michael Prendergast | 2 | 3.4 | ||
Whig | Henry William Tancred | 2 | 3.4 | ||
Whig | Thomas Bulkeley | 2 | 3.4 | ||
Turnout | c. 15 | c. 2.1 | |||
Registered electors | c. 700 | ||||
Majority | 1 | 1.7 | |||
Whig gain from Tory | |||||
Majority | 0 | 0.0 | |||
Tory hold | |||||
Tory hold | |||||
Majority | 11 | 18.6 | |||
Whig hold |
Weyland was also elected for Oxfordshire and opted to sit there, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tory | Charles Baring Wall | 425 | 72.0 | +24.6 | |
Whig | Michael Prendergast | 165 | 28.0 | −24.5 | |
Majority | 260 | 44.0 | +44.0 | ||
Turnout | 590 | c. 84.3 | c. +82.2 | ||
Registered electors | c. 700 | ||||
Tory gain from Whig | Swing | +24.6 |
Representation reduced to two members.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Fowell Buxton | 238 | 28.3 | +2.1 | |
Tory | Frederick Johnstone | 215 | 25.5 | +1.8 | |
Whig | William Burdon | 214 | 25.4 | −0.9 | |
Tory | George Bankes | 176 | 20.9 | −2.8 | |
Turnout | 431 | 90.7 | c. +88.6 | ||
Registered electors | 475 | ||||
Majority | 23 | 2.8 | +1.1 | ||
Whig hold | Swing | +1.3 | |||
Majority | 1 | 0.1 | +0.1 | ||
Tory hold | Swing | +0.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | Fowell Buxton | 268 | 40.8 | +12.5 | |
Whig | William Burdon | 239 | 36.4 | +11.0 | |
Conservative | George Child Villiers | 150 | 22.8 | −23.6 | |
Majority | 89 | 13.6 | +10.8 | ||
Turnout | c. 329 | c. 63.4 | c. −27.3 | ||
Registered electors | 518 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing | +12.2 | |||
Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +11.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Child Villiers | 291 | 31.6 | +20.2 | |
Conservative | George William Hope | 268 | 29.1 | +17.7 | |
Whig | Fowell Buxton | 211 | 22.9 | −17.9 | |
Whig | George Stephen | 151 | 16.4 | −20.0 | |
Majority | 57 | 6.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 481 | 81.7 | c. +18.3 | ||
Registered electors | 589 | ||||
Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +19.6 | |||
Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +18.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Child Villiers | 259 | 25.4 | −6.2 | |
Conservative | George William Hope | 257 | 25.2 | −3.9 | |
Whig | Ralph Bernal | 254 | 24.9 | +2.0 | |
Whig | William Dougal Christie | 251 | 24.6 | +8.2 | |
Majority | 3 | 0.3 | −5.9 | ||
Turnout | 511 (est) | 85.4 (est) | c. +3.7 | ||
Registered electors | 598 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −5.7 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | −4.5 |
On petition the result was overturned on 4 April 1842 and the opponents, Bernal and Christie, were seated in their place.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | William Dougal Christie | 274 | 25.1 | +0.5 | |
Whig | William Freestun | 274 | 25.1 | +0.2 | |
Conservative | George Butt | 272 | 24.9 | −0.3 | |
Conservative | Frederick Child Villiers | 271 | 24.8 | −0.6 | |
Majority | 2 | 0.2 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 546 (est) | 87.3 (est) | +1.9 | ||
Registered electors | 625 | ||||
Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +0.5 | |||
Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +0.3 |
Christie resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Frederick Child Villiers | Unopposed | |||
Conservative gain from Whig |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | George Butt | 386 | 38.4 | −11.3 | |
Whig | William Freestun | 336 | 33.4 | −16.8 | |
Peelite | Alexander Haldane Oswald [35] | 283 | 28.2 | N/A | |
Turnout | 503 (est) | 74.0 (est) | −13.3 | ||
Registered electors | 679 | ||||
Majority | 50 | 5.0 | N/A | ||
Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +2.8 | |||
Majority | 53 | 5.2 | +5.0 | ||
Whig hold | Swing | −2.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whig | William Freestun | 446 | 41.8 | +8.4 | |
Whig | Robert Campbell | 349 | 32.7 | +4.5 | |
Conservative | George Butt | 272 | 25.5 | −12.9 | |
Majority | 77 | 7.2 | +2.0 | ||
Turnout | 534 (est) | 78.3 (est) | +4.3 | ||
Registered electors | 681 | ||||
Whig hold | Swing | +7.4 | |||
Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +5.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robert Brooks | 341 | 26.5 | +13.7 | |
Conservative | Arthur Egerton | 340 | 26.4 | +13.6 | |
Liberal | William Freestun | 311 | 24.1 | −17.7 | |
Liberal | Robert Campbell | 297 | 23.0 | −9.7 | |
Majority | 29 | 2.3 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 645 (est) | 86.2 (est) | +7.9 | ||
Registered electors | 748 | ||||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +13.7 | |||
Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +13.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Robert Brooks | 381 | 47.6 | +21.1 | |
Liberal | Henry Gridley | 378 | 47.2 | +23.1 | |
Conservative | Arthur Egerton | 28 | 3.5 | −22.9 | |
Liberal | Henry Edwards | 14 | 1.7 | −21.3 | |
Turnout | 759 (est) | 83.8 (est) | −2.4 | ||
Registered electors | 906 | ||||
Majority | 3 | 0.4 | −1.9 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +10.1 | |||
Majority | 350 | 43.7 | N/A | ||
Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +12.0 |
A late compromise between the Conservatives and Liberals, whereby Mr Brooks and Mr Gridley would be elected, came too late to cancel the election.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Henry Edwards | Unopposed | |||
Liberal hold |
The 1867 by-election followed the resignation of Henry Gillett Gridley.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles J. T. Hambro | 750 | 39.4 | −11.7 | |
Liberal | Henry Edwards | 701 | 36.8 | −10.4 | |
Liberal | John Joseph Powell | 452 | 23.8 | +22.1 | |
Majority | 49 | 2.6 | +2.2 | ||
Turnout | 952 (est) | 70.8 (est) | −13.0 | ||
Registered electors | 1,343 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | −11.7 | |||
Liberal hold | Swing | +0.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Henry Edwards | 944 | 49.7 | −10.9 | |
Conservative | Frederick Johnstone | 504 | 26.5 | +6.8 | |
Conservative | Charles J. T. Hambro | 452 | 23.8 | +4.1 | |
Majority | 440 | 23.2 | +10.2 | ||
Turnout | 1,422 (est) | 96.9 (est) | +26.1 | ||
Registered electors | 1,467 | ||||
Liberal hold | Swing | −10.9 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing | +8.9 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Henry Edwards | 1,156 | 44.2 | +19.3 | |
Conservative | Frederick Johnstone | 807 | 30.8 | −19.5 | |
Liberal | Alexander Coghill Wylie | 653 | 25.0 | +0.1 | |
Turnout | 1,308 (est) | 81.1 (est) | −15.8 | ||
Registered electors | 1,612 | ||||
Majority | 349 | 13.4 | −9.8 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing | +14.5 | |||
Majority | 154 | 5.8 | −17.4 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −4.8 |
In the Aubrey-Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brian the constituency of Melcombe in Dorset is the Parliamentary seat for Jack Aubreys father who holds it for the Whigs. On his father's death Jack Aubrey is offered and takes up the seat for the Tories.
South Dorset is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Lloyd Hatton, of the Labour Party. The constituency was created as a consequence of the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, although the area covered has changed since then.
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis was a borough in England. It was formed by a charter of Elizabeth I, amalgamating the towns of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis in 1571.
Tain Burghs was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832, sometimes known as Northern Burghs. It was represented by one Member of Parliament (MP).
Abingdon was a parliamentary constituency in England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) from 1558 until 1983, making it one of the few English constituencies in the unreformed House of Commons to elect only one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Morpeth was a constituency centred on the town of Morpeth in Northumberland represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1553 to 1707, the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and then the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1800 to 1983.
Petersfield was an English Parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Petersfield in Hampshire. It existed for several hundred years until its abolition for the 1983 general election.
Wallingford was a parliamentary constituency in England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.
Dorchester was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Dorchester in Dorset. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England, Great Britain and House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1295 to 1868, when its representation was reduced to one member.
Helston, sometimes known as Helleston, was a parliamentary borough centred on the small town of Helston in Cornwall.
Cricklade was a parliamentary constituency named after the town of Cricklade in Wiltshire.
Monmouth Boroughs was a parliamentary constituency consisting of several towns in Monmouthshire. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliaments of England, Great Britain, and finally the United Kingdom; until 1832 the constituency was known simply as Monmouth, though it included other "contributory boroughs".
Bridport was a parliamentary borough in Dorset, England, which elected two Members of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1868, and then one member from 1868 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.
Lyme Regis was a parliamentary borough in Dorset, which elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1868, when the borough was abolished.
Malmesbury was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons from 1275 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.
Wareham was a parliamentary borough in Dorset, which elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons from 1302 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.
Weobley was a parliamentary borough in Herefordshire, which elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons in 1295 and from 1628 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.
Shaftesbury was a parliamentary constituency in Dorset. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England, Great Britain and the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1295 until 1832 and one member until the constituency was abolished in 1885.
Richard Weyland was a British Whig politician.
Robert Stone Comben CBE JP, was a British Liberal Party politician who gave over 40 years service to local government in Dorset.
Robert Myddelton was a Welsh politician who served as MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis and the City of London in the Parliament of England.
![]() | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(September 2010) |